Many jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring specific disclosures of odometer information by a seller of a vehicle. For example, the seller may have to certify under signature that the odometer reading displayed by the vehicle is correct, that it is not correct, or that it has exceeded its mechanical limits (which typically applies to older non-electronic types of odometers). Odometer fraud has been a known problem wherein a seller “rolls back” or otherwise alters the displayed mileage in an attempt to make a potential purchaser believe that the vehicle is worth more money than it actually is. Detection of odometer fraud has not been easily accomplished, thereby necessitating the practice of self-regulation by having the seller certify the odometer reading at the time of sale.
More modern vehicles sometimes have electronic odometers that provide mileage information that can be obtained via a communication bus within the vehicle. Sometimes, these vehicles are also equipped with a telematics unit that permits the mileage information to be obtained by the telematics unit and sent back to a call center for use in providing various types of telematics services. See, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0173992 entitled Vehicle Email Notification System and Method.